Shyaamalaam Saralaam Susmitaam Bhuushitaam

Silent revolutionaries - Sowbhagyalakshmi Srirama Bharati

It was May 2017, and that trip to Chennai was not just a routine stopover on the way to Kanchipuram. In April I had won the Justice Telang Fellowship in Indology - with just no more than a love for Alwars and their verses and a deep interest in traditional performing arts I had chosen the topic 'Araiyar Cevai - Millennial Retrospective'. I didn't know where to begin. Someone told me Kalakshetra had archived 'Araiyar Cevai' and I thought I will begin there.

That is when a friend told me how she was part of the team that worked on that archiving, archiving works of Srirama Bharati, the man who took Araiyar Cevai from its traditional practitioners and setting to a secular stage. I had heard about his moving, devotion soaked Cevai but just around the time I got to know about him he passed away. Too young and too early - in 2000 when he was just 50. In May ‘17 when I searched for his videos online I stumbled upon STD Pathasala. Found out that his wife Srimati Sowbhagyalakshmi carried on his legacy, running the Pathasala, teaching Devaganam. I said if I can go to the source why not go there first instead of an archive.

Aided with a google map I started for Jalladampettai, which Srirama Bharati called Selvamudayan Pettai, a sacred placed he said Tirumangai Alvar had traversed. I had not made any phone calls, I didn't find out anything about the Pathasala and it was a cold call. Pathasala I presumed would be open all day and I landed at around 10.30-10.45 am. It was not a Pathasala, but a beautiful temple to Selva Tirunarayanan. I got there to find a near empty temple. A portly lady, in a madisar, greying hair, Srichurnam came and opened the door. I quietly asked her if I can speak to her. I remembered her from the cover of ‘Araiyar Sevai' book of Srirama Bharati. She told me go wash your feet, and come inside the temple. You may have to wait for an hour, "aradhanamellam mudichittuthaan varuven"(I will finish the Aradhanam and come). I waited. I stayed there and was stunned, moved and speechless. She prepared for Aradhanam, and did the Thiruvaradhanam to Selva Tirunaranan, all by herself. And when the Satrumurai time came the lady who was making garlands outside joined in reciting "Pallaandu Pallaandu" and few more ladies, who looked like nearby residents joined too. All the ladies recited the Satrumurai pasurams and the Acharyans Vaazhi Tirunamams. Thiruvaradhanam, Satrumurai over and the goshti viniyogam happened. I sat down and had my prasadam, as she went about closing down the shrines one after other.

Then she came and called me over - we moved to her residence just opposite the temple. I broke down, I couldn't speak to her, couldn’t stop my tears. Only on my way there I was reading a Facebook post by a lady writer who had gone to an international forum to speak about the poor condition of women in India, the oppressed, repressed etc., There I go and see a lady, one who lost her husband 17 yrs ago taking care of a temple, running the Pathasala, and above all the sight of a lady doing Tiruvaradanam to Perumal in a temple shook me. I asked her how she did that ... "I appointed many men, I paid money, but when I found that there was no shradha I gave up. I started doing it. Naan panna Avan yethukkalaya. Avanukku pidikaamaya poyirukku" (Hasn’t He accepted my service. Does He not like it) she asked. Of course, He must be loving it. Saranagata Vatsalan, how can He be not happy with a dear devotee doing Aradhana. What stuck me was ... This is a country where over millennia women found a way to do what they wanted. No rhetoric, no abuse of Dharma, Shastras, but, "ziddi' women who found their calling, exercised their will, stayed independent. Misogyny! They didn’t care a damn. They were or are the Masters of their lives, leaders, and agents of change. It is all possible .... And that is why mine is Matrubhumi.

Tumi vidya, tumi dharma,

Tumi hridi, tumi marma,

Tvam hi pranah sharire!

 Bahute tumi ma shakti,

Hridaye tumi ma bhakti,

Tomarayipratima gari mandire mandire!